Beneath the Remains Stampede Double Bass — Igor Cavalera (Sepultura) Drum Lick | MetalForge
Learn the Beneath the Remains Stampede Double Bass drum lick by Igor Cavalera of Sepultura. From Beneath the Remains (Beneath the Remains (1989)). Beneath the Remains (1989) is Sepultura's breakthrough into the international extreme metal scene, a...
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1. Igor Cavalera's Signature Licks — Beneath the Remains (1989) is Sepultura's breakthrough into the international extreme metal scene, and the title track contains two distinct drumming challenges that have made it essential study for any serious metal drummer. While the blast sections are devastating, it is the sustained double-bass stampede pattern that defines the song's relentless propulsion through its main verse and riff sections. Igor Cavalera drives these passages with rapid, alternating kick-drum figures at approximately 195 BPM — a continuous pattern that locks to the thrash riff and creates the song's iconic stampeding momentum. What distinguishes this from generic double-bass speed is the way Igor roots the pattern in the groove rather than executing it as pure technique: every kick lands in service of the riff, the dynamic varies across sections, and the feel, even at this extreme tempo, retains that organic Brazilian rhythmic sensibility that characterises all of Igor's playing. The foot pattern itself is executed with heel-up alternating strokes driven by the thigh and calf, but sustaining it evenly at the song's tempo, maintaining consistent volume between feet, and keeping the hands grooving simultaneously are the real challenges. In the mix, the double bass creates a physical impact that was at the extreme edge of what South American drummers were recording in the late 1980s, and Igor's control under pressure set a standard for Brazilian extreme metal that has never been surpassed. For drummers, this lick is a benchmark in sustained thrash double-bass execution: it builds foot speed and endurance, trains the kick to lock to an extreme-tempo riff rather than run independently, and develops the stamina to keep a physically demanding pattern consistent across a full thrash arrangement. Addressing the stampede pattern separately from the blast passages is essential — they demand different technical approaches and reward different aspects of practice.2. Igor Cavalera Profile — Drive the main verse sections with alternating 16th-note double bass at extreme tempo Keep each kick stroke even in volume and timing — no dominant foot, no inconsistency between feet Lock the kick pattern to the thrash riff accents rather than running independently of the guitar Keep the hands working above the kick — snare and hi-hat must not deteriorate as the feet accelerate Vary the double-bass density across sections to mirror the arrangement dynamics
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